Editorial

Facing the Facts

February 8, 2012

The statistics are mind boggling. The consequences are severe. Both serve to reineforce the senitment that the sexting phenomenon is just not going to go away.

It's a serious problem for teenagers - for society as a whole.

Young people have been jailed, given probation, and the worst cases have ended in suicide because teenagers are unable to deal with the consequences of sexting incidents.

Recent studies provide an in depth look at the prevalence of "digital abuse" among America's youth. The information quanifies how you people are affected by and respond to issues like sexting, ditigal harassment and digital dating abuse.

According to a report 1,247 respondants, ages 14-24, were interviewed. Below is a summary of the "sexting statistics" that were reavealed.

Thirty percent of young people report having been involved in some type of naked sexting. Incidence overall is higher among young adults (ages 18-24) with 33 percent than teenagers (ages 14-17) with 24 percent.

Twenty-nine percent report receiving messages "with sexual words or images" by text or on the Internet. Thirteen percent of females are slightly more likely to have shared a naked photo or video of themselves than males doing it only 9 percent.

Those who have shared a naked photo or video mostly report that they initially sent the photo to a significant other or romantic interest. However, 29 percent of those who have sent "sexts" report sending them to people they only know online and have never met in person.